Budding squash coaches and referees in Australia have been given a major boost, following an announcement from Squash Australia that Phase 1 of the Squash Australia Learning Centre has been launched.
Phase 1 will allow entry-level learners to have the opportunity to begin their coaching and refereeing development through the Foundation Coach and Club Referee courses.
The Squash Australia Learning Centre is being delivered through the Australian Sport Learning Centre (ASLC), a collaboration between Sport Australia and the sport sector that aims to facilitate a seamless learning experience for the sport community.
The new online learning and development platform will become a one-stop-shop for the squash community and is set to revolutionise the way coaches, referees, volunteers and staff learn, achieve and keep track of accreditations online.
Squash Australia National Lead – Sport Development Shaun McEachin said the multi-tenancy model is set to deliver world-class content and will enhance the user experience with the inclusion of mobile-first learning.
“This first phase launch of the Squash Australia Learning Centre demonstrates our commitment to bringing world-class eLearning opportunities to our workforce,” he said.
“Coaches and referees looking to start their journey can now access our Foundation Coach and Club Referee courses at a time and place that suits them,” McEachin added.
Today’s announcement reaffirms Squash Australia’s commitment to aligning the education framework with that of World Squash Officiating (WSO) to standardise squash officiating qualifications worldwide by developing a clearer pathway for referees within the country.
The alignment with WSO and other national federations through this platform will contribute greatly to building a stronger referee community, both in Australia and as part of the global squash community.
With the release of Phase 1, preparation for the next phases are already underway with more engaging world-class content set to be on offer, including the ability to tailor the entry-level training courses to individual roles.
“The second and final phase launch of the Squash Australia Learning Centre will provide our coaches, referees, volunteers, staff, board and athletes a personalised learning experience.
“This will aggregate all learning activities, whether online, face to face or workshops, therefore delivering an optimal blended learning outcome,” explained McEachin.
Squash Australia is one of four Australian Sporting Organisations to have partnered with the ASLC – Swimming Australia, Athletics Australia and Netball Australia being the others – as Sport Australia continues to strengthen its leadership approach to learning and development in Australia.
Phase 2, which includes the full complement of Squash Australia Coach and Referee eLearning and certification resources, will be released in the second half of 2022.
To access the Squash Australia Learning Centre, click here.